title: Diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder in cancer patients: a review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The lack of universal criteria makes diagnosing clinical depression in cancer patients a challenging task. We therefore review the current state of evidence regarding such diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder in cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a literature search for studies which compare two or more sets of diagnostic criteria for depression in cancer patients. The results were extracted and summarized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three original studies were included in this review. One study supported the use of substitutive (Endicott) criteria. Another study showed the potential of an increased threshold approach and one had no conclusive findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no standard reference test and precise definition of alternative criteria in these studies. There are no recognized diagnostic criteria for depression in cancer patients despite an apparent need for such criteria.
authors.affiliation: University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands. chong_guan1975@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Ng Chong
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Ahmad Hatim
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Sulaiman
authors.forename: Nor Zuraida
authors.initials: NZ
authors.lastname: Zainal
authors.forename: Marco P M
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Boks
authors.forename: Niek J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: De Wit
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*